Mass Effect: Memories of an Old Soldier
by NothingSoSpecial
Summary: Adelais Vakarian was many things during his life- a son, a soldier, a veteran of the 314 Incident, a C-SEC detective, a friend, a lover, a caretaker, a promise-keeper, a husband, a father… and a man plagued by as many demons as he had years to live. Follow the Old Soldier through his journey to the man he became, from then to now. A series of snapshots. M for a Reason. Please R/R!
1. The Blossom Tree

**Mass Effect: Memories of an Old Soldier.  
**

**Summary: "Adelais Vakarian once hated those pink blossoms…" **_Every year, those sickeningly sweet, bright pink, tear-shaped petals fell to the ground. The flowers that tree managed to produce each year flooded the estate's grounds like rainwater, covering everything in sight with a thin sheet, even the front yard, the roofs, and the pond it towered so proudly over. I hated that tree. It symbolized a lie my family stood for, an eternal hell that I could never hope to escape. _Adelais Vakarian was many things during his lifetime- a son, a soldier, a veteran of the 314 Incident, a C-SEC detective, a friend, a lover, a caretaker, a promise-keeper, a husband and a father… and a man plagued by as many demons as he had years to live. Follow the Old Soldier through his journey to the man he became, from his secretive beginnings to his tragic ends- for there is a reason he was who he was- it's just a matter of understanding who did what, when… and, ultimately, why- for there is always a reason. Or, at least, there should have been.

**Warning: "(Can be read with or without "Every Story Has a Million Tales" & "The Tale of a Million Ends," though it might be better for you to take a look at those because they give you some insights into Adelais' character) This story is a bunch of snapshots of the life of Adelais Vakarian. ****This story is based almost entirely on the life of the *semi-OC* Adelais Vakarian, and his experiences before and during the course of Mass Effect.**** However, is story a lot darker because of some of the details from Adelais' earlier life. **Some of the themes include: **vulgar language, blood/gore, violence, a few character deaths, and references to child abuse/neglect, noncon, incest, sexual situations, and other mature ideas that may be disturbing to others.** You have hereby been warned.

**Disclaimer:** "**I do not own Mass Effect. Do not make me say it again."**

**Author's Note: "**Just so we're clear, the name _**"Adelais"**_ is still Latin for _"noble," _the name _**"Carissa"**_ still means _"the most beloved one,"_ the name _"Aelius Quentius" _means _"fifth sun,"_ and the name _**"Caecilius"**_ means _"blind one."_ **Please be on the look-out for more of these names, for they all mean something and have an impact on the story."**

**N._.S._.S**

**Chapter One: The Blossom Tree.  
**

**"Impressions upon the sand shall fade,**

**Impressions upon the stone shall erode,**

**Impressions upon the mind shall be forgotten,**

**But impressions upon the heart shall last forever."**

**- Carissa Vakarian, 2185.**

**T****here was once a tree that stood almost a hundred full feet tall. **The branches were long and tanned from its hundreds of years under the scorching hot Palaven sun, and its trunk was large, long, smooth and healthy. Its leaves were a rich, bold, dark green- each roughly half the size of your palm, and were filled with sweet, hardy juices.

The blossoms that this giant marvel of nature managed to produce each year, despite its age and the fact that they seemed out of place on the branches of their gigantic mother, were the size of your fingertips, colored a bright, almost cheerfully gay, salmon pink. These miniature flowers littered the ground where the tree stood, completely covered the pond it towered above, and dusted the entirety of the property it stood, almost out of place, behind.

The house that this massive blossom tree grew behind was massive, ornate, and ancient. It was three stories tall, with filthy, proud windows jutting out, with dark curtains guarding the inside of the mansion from prying eyes, as if they were guarding an invaluable secret. These curtains were never opened, not even once, until many years later, and so they forever shrouded the dusty, unused old rooms in darkness for many decades to come.

Surrounding this mansion was a wall, faded and unsightly, ten-and-a-half feet tall in its own right, further shutting off the house from the outside world. These hollowed-out walls were home to insects, small animals, and other creatures that snuck out to steal the otherwise seemingly untouched, sweet fruit from the trees that grew beyond the silent, forbidden, obsessively tended to yard in the dead of night.

The only other sign of life, besides the creatures sneaking about the courtyard late at night, was a young Turian, perhaps in his early teens, who spent his evenings and nights out under the gargantuan blossom tree that towered over his house and home, either sitting on the crude, handmade wooden bench, reading or merely staring contemplatively at the ground at his feet, slouched over, thin arms crossed in clear concentration, or sitting at the tree's base, legs curled up to his chest, and arms wrapped almost protectively around them, slumbering quietly after a long, hot day's wandering of the vacant, lonely property his family owned.

**N._.S._.S**


	2. Through Child's Eyes

**Mass Effect: Memories of an Old Soldier.**

**Summary: "Adelais Vakarian once hated those pink blossoms…" **_Every year, those sickeningly sweet, bright pink, tear-shaped petals fell to the ground. The flowers that tree managed to produce each year flooded the estate's grounds like rainwater, covering everything in sight with a thin sheet, even the front yard, the roofs, and the pond it towered so proudly over. I hated that tree. It symbolized a lie my family stood for, an eternal hell that I could never hope to escape. _Adelais Vakarian was many things during his lifetime- a son, a soldier, a veteran of the 314 Incident, a C-SEC detective, a friend, a lover, a caretaker, a promise-keeper, a husband and a father… and a man plagued by as many demons as he had years to live. Follow the Old Soldier through his journey to the man he became, from his secretive beginnings to his tragic ends- for there is a reason he was who he was- it's just a matter of understanding who did what, when… and, ultimately, why- for there is always a reason. Or, at least, there should have been.

**Warning: "(Can be read with or without "Every Story Has a Million Tales" & "The Tale of a Million Ends," though it might be better for you to take a look at those because they give you some insights into Adelais' character) This story is a bunch of snapshots of the life of Adelais Vakarian. This story is based almost entirely on the life of the *semi-OC* Adelais Vakarian, and his experiences before and during the course of Mass Effect. However, is story a lot darker because of some of the details from Adelais' earlier life. **Some of the themes include: **vulgar language, blood/gore, violence, a few character deaths, and references to child abuse/neglect, noncon, incest, sexual situations, and other mature ideas that may be disturbing to others.** You have hereby been warned.

**Disclaimer:** "**I do not own Mass Effect. Do not make me say it again."**

**Author's Note: "**Just so we're clear, the name **_"Adelais"_** is still Latin for _"noble," _the name **_"Carissa"_** still means _"the most beloved one,"_ the name _"Aelius Quentius" _means _"fifth sun,"_ and the name **_"Caecilius"_** means _"blind one."_ **Please be on the look-out for more of these names, for they all mean something and have an impact on the story."**

**N._.S._.S**

**Chapter Two: Through Child's Eyes.**

**"My child, my child,**

**Borne of my flesh and soul,**

**Hush, hush,**

**Don't you cry,**

**For the boogieman will come and steal you away."**

**- Carissa Vakarian, 2180.**

**Everything seems bigger through a child's eyes.**

A flower becomes a magical prize, a stick a powerful sword that can cleave unquestionably through imaginary, invisible enemies and a tree a gargantuan ship just waiting to explore the Galaxy. Animals become friends, companions, and even teachers, and the nighttime darkness becomes a whole new world to discover.

This is why childhood tragedies are so starkly, vividly remembered.

The monster in the closet becomes a nightmare remembered twenty years later in a new, empty apartment. The death of a close family member, a best friend or a beloved pet becomes a life-changing, terrifying experience remembered only in photographs and dreams.

Children's minds work in an odd way. Though adults understand right and wrong, their children rely on instinct, social hierarchies and parental support in order to develop the values and decide the true between the two, trusting their parents, those who have taken charge of them, to pave the way for them.

But under the worst of circumstances, under conditions beyond the control of those without the power to prevent it, internal beliefs become twisted, warped, and misunderstood, creating trouble, and oftentimes spelling disaster, for not only the child, but for everyone closely involved.

And such was the case of Adelais Vakarian.

**N._.S._.S**


	3. Monsters

**Mass Effect: Memories of an Old Soldier.**

**Summary: "Adelais Vakarian once hated those pink blossoms…" **_Every year, those sickeningly sweet, bright pink, tear-shaped petals fell to the ground. The flowers that tree managed to produce each year flooded the estate's grounds like rainwater, covering everything in sight with a thin sheet, even the front yard, the roofs, and the pond it towered so proudly over. I hated that tree. It symbolized a lie my family stood for, an eternal hell that I could never hope to escape. _Adelais Vakarian was many things during his lifetime- a son, a soldier, a veteran of the 314 Incident, a C-SEC detective, a friend, a lover, a caretaker, a promise-keeper, a husband and a father… and a man plagued by as many demons as he had years to live. Follow the Old Soldier through his journey to the man he became, from his secretive beginnings to his tragic ends- for there is a reason he was who he was- it's just a matter of understanding who did what, when… and, ultimately, why- for there is always a reason. Or, at least, there should have been.

**Warning: "(Can be read with or without "Every Story Has a Million Tales" & "The Tale of a Million Ends," though it might be better for you to take a look at those because they give you some insights into Adelais' character) This story is a bunch of snapshots of the life of Adelais Vakarian. This story is based almost entirely on the life of the *semi-OC* Adelais Vakarian, and his experiences before and during the course of Mass Effect. However, is story a lot darker because of some of the details from Adelais' earlier life. **Some of the themes include: **vulgar language, blood/gore, violence, a few character deaths, and references to child abuse/neglect, noncon, incest, sexual situations, and other mature ideas that may be disturbing to others.** You have hereby been warned.

**Disclaimer:** "**I do not own Mass Effect. Do not make me say it again."**

**Author's Note: "**Just so we're clear, the name **_"Adelais"_** is still Latin for _"noble," _the name **_"Carissa"_** still means _"the most beloved one,"_ the name _"Aelius Quentius" _means _"fifth sun,"_ and the name **_"Caecilius"_** means _"blind one."_ **Please be on the look-out for more of these names, for they all mean something and have an impact on the story."**

**N._.S._.S**

**Chapter Three: Monsters.**

**"Don't you shout,**

**Don't you fight,**

**Don't you make a sound,**

**Don't you call him by name,**

**And don't you ever play his game." **

**- Carissa Vakarian, 2175.**

**A****delais Vakarian never believed in monsters.**

At least, not the kind children usually fear.

He didn't believe in the boogieman, in the "closet monsters" or the "under-the-bed monsters," he kept the lights off, the door all the way closed, and never slept with a "night light" or a toy, and kept the window open, even in the rare times it rained, and never feared getting out of bed in the middle of the night.

He feared something completely different.

There was a portrait in the main hallway that everyone passed through when they visited the dark, dusty house (which was rare on any standard) with the blossom tree in the backyard. It was large, ornate, almost like those hand-painted portraits you'll see in a royal palace.

In it, a full-bodied Caecilius Vakarian stands proudly, shoulders up, arms set stiffly behind his armored back, seemingly glaring unabashedly, proudly, at onlookers through the canvas with a familiar-looking sniper rifle belted to his back- and the rendering is so lifelike it startles almost everyone who passes by-

Except, of course, its owner.

His eyes are dark, half-shadowed through the corridor walls it hangs on. They're midnight blue- darker than most, and glistening with something that only those closest to him could identify.

They glistened with malice.

Hatred.

Cruelty.

This was what Adelais feared the most.

Because Caecilius Vakarian was worse than any monster his imagination could come up with.

A holy terror he never could truly escape.

**N._.S._.S**


	4. Mother

**Mass Effect: Memories of an Old Soldier.**

**Summary: "Adelais Vakarian once hated those pink blossoms…" **_Every year, those sickeningly sweet, bright pink, tear-shaped petals fell to the ground. The flowers that tree managed to produce each year flooded the estate's grounds like rainwater, covering everything in sight with a thin sheet, even the front yard, the roofs, and the pond it towered so proudly over. I hated that tree. It symbolized a lie my family stood for, an eternal hell that I could never hope to escape. _Adelais Vakarian was many things during his lifetime- a son, a soldier, a veteran of the 314 Incident, a C-SEC detective, a friend, a lover, a caretaker, a promise-keeper, a husband and a father… and a man plagued by as many demons as he had years to live. Follow the Old Soldier through his journey to the man he became, from his secretive beginnings to his tragic ends- for there is a reason he was who he was- it's just a matter of understanding who did what, when… and, ultimately, why- for there is always a reason. Or, at least, there should have been.

**Warning: "(Can be read with or without "Every Story Has a Million Tales" & "The Tale of a Million Ends," though it might be better for you to take a look at those because they give you some insights into Adelais' character) This story is a bunch of snapshots of the life of Adelais Vakarian. This story is based almost entirely on the life of the *semi-OC* Adelais Vakarian, and his experiences before and during the course of Mass Effect. However, is story a lot darker because of some of the details from Adelais' earlier life. **Some of the themes include: **vulgar language, blood/gore, violence, a few character deaths, and references to child abuse/neglect, noncon, incest, sexual situations, and other mature ideas that may be disturbing to others.** You have hereby been warned.

**Disclaimer:** "**I do not own Mass Effect. Do not make me say it again."**

**Author's Note: "**Just so we're clear, the name **_"Adelais"_** is still Latin for _"noble," _the name **_"Carissa"_** still means _"the most beloved one,"_ the name _"Aelius Quentius" _means _"fifth sun,"_ and the name **_"Caecilius"_** means _"blind one."_ **Please be on the look-out for more of these names, for they all mean something and have an impact on the story."**

**N._.S._.S**

**Chapter Four: Mother.**

**H****er name was Ancilla. **

She'd been as much as a victim as he had.

If not an even bigger one.

And that was certainly saying something.

She wasn't the most notable. In fact, she looked out of place in any setting you could imagine, like she was never supposed to exist in the first place. Her life was a miserable one, and it only got worse when her family forced her into mating with Caecilius Vakarian.

She was a quiet one, shy, almost to the cowardly point, and she never spoke or even stood up for herself- or anyone else- once in the years Adelais knew her.

Ancilla was the one who enabled, if not allowed, what Caecilius did to them.

Adelais was thirteen when she died.

Died in a way that all but completely erased her name forever.

**N._.S._.S**


End file.
